April 2013 Grocery Challenge

MrsCautious

I wasn't planning on doing any shopping so early on this week but I couldn't find some ham I was convinced I'd bought last weekend which I'd planned to put in sandwiches for school lunches -- so that was my excuse for heading to Sbury tonight, also in the hope of bagging some YS bargains.

I ended up spending £11.40 to include bread, milk, cooked ham and chicken (two for £1.) -- none of this was reduced and it galls me to pay the price asked for milk, but savings on the rest of what I bought made up for it

I bought 4 lamb leg steaks for £1.49, 4 chops for £1.39, a pork joint for 99p and 8 good quality sausages for 54p. Also bought two freezable family size cheesecakes for 49p each and some Homepride cook-in curry sauce for 50p. I've just totted up on 9 YS items there's a saving of more than £17, so I'm not bothered about creeping up towards my £200 limit.

I do hope to get to Tuesday in budget and am confident of setting a lowered target of £180 for May.

Thanks for all the encouragement and inspiration xx

minicooper272

K9sandFelines wrote: »

Seriously? You'd think they would make enough to cover this type of loss without penalising farmers, wouldn't you. I don't even know what country of origin they where from now tbh.

Yeah, I thought it was pretty shocking! Apparently they get a lot of people complaining about silly things (like veg having mud on it, or going off when it's 'only been in the cupboard 3 months'), and every time they get a fine. It makes me think twice about complaining, but if I do in the future, I'll try to emphasis how it wasn't the farmer...

Found out today that the Aldi voucher is for £5 off a £40 spend, so I'll save myself the expense of the newspaper! I couldn't spend £40 if I tried...

I know these things are targeted at families who really need the help, but it's frustrating being left out of this whole corner of saving, just because you live alone... money off fuel vouchers or 10% off my shopping could come in handy some months (like this one). I hope that doesn't come across wrong - I definitely think families need the help more, it's just a frustrating one!

Bluegreen143

minicooper - I think you're justified in having a moan - let's face it, their motivation isn't to help families but to hope people spend £40 they wouldn't have otherwise! I'll believe they're in it to help us when they give out £5 off any spend vouchers and you don't need to buy a paper to get them...

£1.74 spend on 1kg sugar today, last spend of the month as new budget starts tomorrow...

Therefore declaring at £184.11 out of a budget of £185, well chuffed

Best of luck to everyone who still has a few days to go. Those who haven't managed it this month - fingers crossed for next and hopefully doing it this month will help you figure out where you're going wrong!

cw18

minicooper272 wrote: »

Found out today that the Aldi voucher is for £5 off a £40 spend, so I'll save myself the expense of the newspaper! I couldn't spend £40 if I tried...

Me neither - or not in there anyway. I sometimes manage in Mr T by buying a lot of non-food things (currently stocking up on click 'n' lock type storage containers which helps, but I won't be spending that much in there this week to get a £5 off my next £40 spend either).

I know these things are targeted at families who really need the help, but it's frustrating being left out of this whole corner of saving, just because you live alone... money off fuel vouchers or 10% off my shopping could come in handy some months (like this one). I hope that doesn't come across wrong - I definitely think families need the help more, it's just a frustrating one!

It's not just families need the help. I effectively live alone (DS is here for his main meal once or twice a week, and I feed OH on a Saturday), and they'd make a huuuuge difference to my budget too.


EDIT : And we're also penalised as we have to buy smaller packets of many perishable items, which means we end up paying more per kg for them as well as not getting any savings vouchers to use against them.

minicooper272

cw18 wrote: »

EDIT : And we're also penalised as we have to buy smaller packets of many perishable items, which means we end up paying more per kg for them as well as not getting any savings vouchers to use against them.

Yes, this frustrates me too! I always found it was only marginally more to feed 2 instead of 1... I know the motivation is really to get you to spend £40, but they advertise it mostly as helping families (because families would normally spend around that mark). Maybe we should start a campaign?! :rotfl:

lizalloareds

£1.55 Mr A
89p Lidl

sig updated

[Deleted User]

Hi folks, I fell off the wagon tracking my spends this month. I must do better!!

Going to sign up for the challenge again next month and aim for £150 again.

she_who_can_not_cook

I go-to aldi some nights not as many as i used because of the begger being there its him pal that upsets me when he hides around the corner on his mobile phone.
When i do go to aldi its a always a few quid spend lol.

Can i ask you guys a question.

I have a Asian f and v/ grocer near me about 7 min walk away i went there today the f and v is very much basic ok but can go off quick i get three for a quid offers there i.e cucumber/lettuce/spring onion. Well i did they seem to be creep ing up its toe for 89 for s.onion today but when there is rain lol it will go down.

Anyway the onions (9kg) i got about seven eight week ago changed price was 1,99 yesterday today its 2,29 so on the way out i asked how much was the king edwards 25kg. 5,99 he said .now i am not so sure if i should get them NOW before they go up thats a great price isn,t it?

Coxy11

Hi everyone,

Spend of £9.34 today in T's. I'm at a friends for dinner tomorrow so I'm taking a key lime cheesecake with me. Needed the ingredients for that plus some bread and rolls.

Having pork chops tonight - I will have mine with a large salad and some broccoli, DH and children will have savoury veg rice and broccoli with theirs.

Still hoping to squeak in on or under budget

Coxy

getting-sorted-sarah

minicooper272 wrote: »

Found out today that the Aldi voucher is for £5 off a £40 spend, so I'll save myself the expense of the newspaper! I couldn't spend £40 if I tried...

I know these things are targeted at families who really need the help, but it's frustrating being left out of this whole corner of saving, just because you live alone... money off fuel vouchers or 10% off my shopping could come in handy some months (like this one). I hope that doesn't come across wrong - I definitely think families need the help more, it's just a frustrating one!

I know what you mean - the fuel vouchers are the other one that frustrates me - I have a small car so 5p off a litre saves me less than £2 if I fill up the tank, whereas someone with a huge guzzling car saves loads...

There some other 30% off specific items in the paper for Adl1 too, if that is any use. This is the first time I have got it as I hate buying tabloids!!